At the Monday, July 11 School Board meeting, the Bryan ISD Board of Trustees unanimously approved Dr. Alma Velez as the next Principal for Jones Elementary. Velez currently serves in Bryan ISD as the Dean of Instruction at Jane Long Intermediate School and is a Lecturer at Texas A&M University.

Velez has been with Bryan ISD for more than 21 years and brings a wealth of experience as a former Bilingual / Dual Language Teacher, Curriculum Coordinator and, most recently, Dean of Instruction.

“I am excited and honored to continue my career in Bryan ISD in this new capacity,” said Dr. Velez. “We have wonderful things happening in our classrooms throughout the school year.”

Velez believes working at the elementary school level paves the way for a strong foundation for students. “This is coming home for me. I started my career at Anson Jones,” Dr. Velez added.

“Dr. Velez is already a vital part of Bryan ISD with her more than 20 years of experience in education. Alma has a heart for students and educators. We look forward to working with her in her new role as Principal of Jones Elementary,” said Bryan ISD Superintendent Ginger Carrabine.

Dr. Velez has also received multiple awards for her work including, District Administrator of the Year, Campus Administrator of the Year, Campus Teacher of the Year and Hispanic Forum Person of the Year.

She has served in multiple ways during her more than 21 years of experience in Bryan ISD. She’s also served previously as an Assistant Principal, Elementary Bilingual / ESL Curriculum Coordinator, ELL Instruction Specialist and Principal.

Alma Velez received her Ph.D. from Texas A&M University in Educational Psychology. She received her Master’s Degree from Sam Houston State University in Educational Leadership and Administration. Dr. Velez received her Bachelor’s Degree in Academic Studies.

Dr. Velez also has her Principal Certification from the Texas Education Agency and is a religious education teacher at Santa Teresa Catholic Church.